The Red String of Fate
by somefangirl
Summary: Two-shot, ZoLu: "It's an old myth, that says everyone has a red string around their pinky finger, and it connects us to our true love. It means you and them are destined to meet, and though it might stretch and tangle, it will never break, no matter what."
1. Zoro

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece**

* * *

Ever since Zoro was very young, he had always had a red string tied around his little finger on his right hand. It had been there, probably since Zoro was two, and he didn't know how it had got there. It had simply appeared one day. He wasn't sure how it had gotten there, or why no one else could see it. No one could touch it, either, and it just went right through things. Eventually, Zoro began to ignore the red string. It wasn't doing any harm and it wasn't getting in the way of his goal, so it didn't really matter to him.

One day, when Zoro was around 7, an old woman stopped by the dojo. She was traveling, looking for her son apparently, and was only staying there to rest a bit. One night, she offered to tell a story to many of the younger children. Zoro, who was training nearby, overheard her.

"Has anyone here ever heard of the _Red String of Fate_?" she asked. The children all shook their heads, so she continued "It's an old myth, that says everyone has a red string around their pinky finger" she held up her finger to show the kids "and it connects us to our true love. It means you and them are destined to meet, and though it might stretch and tangle, it will never break, no matter what." the kids all seemed excited by this prospect, wondering if they had one and who theirs was connected to.

Zoro looked to his hand. Sure enough, there was that little red string, right on his pinky finger, just sitting there. He knew the thing never broke, he'd tried to cut it and untie it and even burn it once, but it was still there. But he hadn't really given thought to what could be on the other end. But thinking there was another person there...? Zoro wondered if they could see the string, too. He wanted to ask the woman if she knew anything about the strings, but she had gotten up and was walking into the dojo once more. So Zoro sighed and continued training. He wouldn't get stronger if he just sat there thinking about some undersized rope.

* * *

A few years later, Zoro decided to head out to sea in search of Mihawk. He contemplated following the string to see who was on the other end, but decided if they were "destined to meet" the way that old woman had said so many years ago, that he'd end up running into the person eventually. So he'd go acheive his dream, and if he hadn't run into the person on the end of the string by then, he'd go find him when he was the best. Though he had decided that, no matter what happened, he always found himself heading in the direction of where the red string went off into the distance. It kept throwing him off his course. As much as Zoro would want to know who was on the other end, his dream was more important. So he continued on his journey, and continued to try to ignore that stupid thread.

* * *

One day, he found himself tied to a cross in some stupid Marine Base. After being there for days, his little thread began to act up. It tugged so it was on top of the wall, instead of going through it the way it was earlier. He was surprised when a boy in a red vest and a straw hat who couldn't have been older than 17 ran up to him. But that wasn't what surprised him. What shocked him the most was that, connected to the kid's little finger on his right hand, was a red string. More specifically, the same string that was attached to Zoro.

By the end of the day, Zoro and the kid (Monkey D. Luffy, apparently. Odd name) were pirates, sailing the seas. Not exactly what Zoro had planned, but it didn't hinder his dream any. Besides, he finally found out who was on the other end of that thread.

* * *

"Why were you so insistent on having me join you?" Zoro asked one day, out of the blue.

"Hmm?" Luffy asked "What do you mean?"

"Join your pirate crew. When we first met, you were really persistant about it" Zoro clarified.

"Well... this is going to sound a bit weird, so don't laugh" Luffy said.

"I'm a member of the Straw Hat Pirates. 'Weird' doesn't really phase me anymore" Zoro countered. Though in the back of his mind, he wondered what could be so odd _Luffy_ wouldn't want to say it.

"Uh, since as long as I can remember, there's been this little thing" he said, holding up his right hand "it's a little red string, and I never knew what it meant or where it lead. But when I met you, I finally found where it ended"

* * *

**There was gonna be more, but that looked like an amazing place to end and the rest of what I had was kinda bad so I stopped there.**

**I've always loved the story of the _Red String of Fat_e, and I've always thought it was an interesting concept. But there is no ZoLu fanart with it in it (that I've seen), so I was a little bummed. I wanted to do something about it, but I can't draw for my life. So I did what I _can _do, which is write, and this happened.**

**So yeah, my first ZoLu (which I'm excited about) story here! I hope you liked it! Reviews are radical, and follows and favorites are fabulous!**

**- Lew-chan :D**


	2. Luffy

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own it. *gasps* I know, shocker, right?**

* * *

Luffy had had the string far as long as he could remember. It was a red string, attached to his right pinky finger. He didn't know why it was there, or where it came from. He'd found out early on no one else could seem to see it, and that no matter how hard he tried not he nor anyone nor anything else could touch it. It couldn't be cut, or untied, or burned (he'd tried, once) or sliced or anything. He deemed it a "mystery string" and ignored it. It didn't get in anyone's way, so why bother?

He still wondered about it, though. How could he not? It was bright red and always there. Though his wondering also ended up side tracked until it was pushed out of his mind. One day, he found out by accident from Makino.

"Hey, Luffy, have you ever heard of the _Red String of Fate_?" She asked. Luffy was immediately attentive as he shook his head.

"See, it's this old tale. It says that every person's got this red string on their little finger" she said, reaching out her hand to show the boy "and it connects us to our true love who we're destined to meet. It might stretch, and it might tangle, but it'll never break."

Luffy, in a _rare_ moment of thought, looked to his own hand, seeing the string which lead off into the distance. At the other end of the string... was someone else? His "true love"? Luffy didn't actually know what that meant, but it sounded good. He wondered if he could eat it. Which reminded him, he was hungry. He said as much, which made Makino laugh as she went off to get the energetic boy something to eat.

* * *

"What'cha looking at, Luffy?" Ace asked. Luffy had spaced out, looking off at the string again. Ace's journey would be starting in a year, and Luffy's was in four. He had decided he was going to look for this mystery person at the end of the thread. He had been wondering about the person on the other end when Ace noticed him.

"Ah... nothing" Luffy lied. When he was seven, he'd tried to tell Ace and Sabo about the thing, but they looked at him like he had a second head (how cool would that be?!) and he'd dropped the subject.

"Well if you aren't doing anything, then let's go hunt. I'm hungry." Ace said. All thoughts of threads were gone in an instant as Luffy excitedly ran into the forest with his brother.

* * *

It'd been three years since Ace left. Being alone sucked a lot, so Luffy was very excited when his 17th birthday came around. He set off (punching that Sea King that ate Shanks' arm in the face. Now that felt nice) and started drifting aimlessly. He found himself heading in the direction of the string. That didn't bother him, though. He did want to know who was on the other end, after all. But, this drifting led him to follow the currents, which lead him into a whirlpool.

And to think, his journey had just started. Shame.

* * *

Well, he didn't drown. Hiding in a barrel was a smart plan, apparently. He was sailing off with Coby, a pink-haired coward, to the island where "Roronoa Zoro", a famous East Blue bounty hunter was held. And, also, in the direction the string went off into.

Arriving at the island, they went straight for the Marine Base. Luffy was surprised to see the guy they were looking for, tied up right in the yard. And, when he went into the yard to get a closer look, he was completely blown away to see on the little finger of the right hand of the man, Roronoa Zoro, was a red string. The red string that was attached to Luffy himself.

Then he knew all the bad rumors about him were false. Zoro couldn't be a bad guy, because he was the one Luffy's string was attached to. And Luffy's hunch was proved this just a few minutes later by a little girl And a bratty teen.

Zoro was definitely a nice guy, and he was definitely going to join Luffy's crew: now Luffy just had to tell Zoro.

* * *

He did, in fact, end up joining Luffy's "crew" (if you can call _two people_ a crew). A pirate hunter turned pirate, how ironic. But hey, Luffy found who was on the end of his string!

* * *

**so, I realize this story was a one shot and "complete" but in reviews people asked for more and I'm a pushover, so here we are. But hey, it was really easy to write for me, and you guys get more ZoLu ****_Red String_****-ness, so who's complaining?**

**anyway, review to let me know what you thought! I love to hear feedback!**

**- Lew-chan :D**


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